How did you (or how will you) celebrate your students' graduations?

[Greta]

This is our last year of homeschooling (insert wistful sigh here).  DD is graduating in May, and I'm not sure how to mark the occasion.  We're not part of any homeschooling groups.  Family is all out of state (though a few might come).  I've asked her what she wants to do, but she doesn't know either!  I want to do something but I'm clueless.  Please help!  

[regentrude]

We went out for dinner at a very nice restaurant. Both times. Neither wanted a party.

Edited March 4, 2018 by regentrude

[Greta]

We went out for dinner at a very nice restaurant. Both times. Neither wanted a party.

 

 

Ahh, there is a fantastic restaurant just outside of our city which she's never been to, but would love.  It's too pricey to go often, so the fact that she's never been would make it special!  (My dd is not really a party kind of person either.)

[mommyoffive]

I think the dinner sounds good. 

 

How about a day doing things she likes?   

Movie

show

spa

 

I don't know

 

 

I think we will do things like that or a trip.  

[Miss Peregrine]

1st graduate we had a pool party/ BBQ at a private pool. 2nd wanted a party at the beach. This year will be #3 and I haven't heard yet what she wants.

[katilac]

Oldest had a backyard graduation and party, and youngest is planning the same. It's a big family event for us, my dad's siblings come from out of town, paternal grandparents come from out of state, etc. We visit with lots of people who we don't get to see often. Like a funeral, but happier. 

 

 

[bettyandbob]

We invited local family and had a backyard bbq.

 

For oldest we did this early in summer. For middle we did this late summer as a send off.

[klmama]

We hold a grad party for our graduates.  They invite family, friends (theirs and ours), and special adults from their extracurricular activities and jobs.  

[edelweiss]

I will offer my daughters the option of having a party or taking a trip someplace.

[lmrich]

We do the big party thing; that is what most people do around here. 

However, I recommend doing a trip to celebrate. 

[AnneBlessedx4]

Ceremony, party after. All done by us.

[KarenNC]

We're doing several things.

1) Now that we have a more reliable car, we're planning a family trip to Williamsburg for a few days, using one of those "sit through a couple of hours presentation" things to cover lodging. I've always wanted to take her but we never had the time and money at the same time.

2) We're having an afternoon park day type of party for the families of her close homeschool friends and their famiies at the local park where most of our park days have happened over the years. We've rented a picnic shelter and will have some snacks, desserts, and drinks (tea, lemonade, water) and hang out, so it's going to be low-key. We don't have the space, either at the house or parking, to host something largish here.

3) Dinner with our families, probably one with mine and one with my husband's parents due to distances. Again, not to an expensive place.

4) She'll be doing a bridging ceremony at church to signify moving from the youth program into the adult.

5) Later in the summer she'll be doing a send-off from her Girl Scout troop as part of their annual bridging ceremony. The first of the girls went to college last year, and they gave her a nice scrapbook the girls had put together. They also usually have a sundae bar and hang out in the leader's backyard.

6) Her godparents may host a potluck party for our core group of couples that have all known each other for close to 30 years. These are always low-key hang out type of things. This may be around graduation or it may be a combo send-off/birthday since she has an August birthday. It may depend on whether she ends up going to the local school or away, as we don't know yet.

[Jenny in Florida]

Each of my two had a party, but the parties reflected the differences in their personalities.

 

For my daughter, we rented the social hall at our then-church . She invited friends -- both young folks and adults who had been special to her -- to don their best formal wear, and we decorated the space a la "prom" . . . with touches of rubber ducky. We bought her a long gown and took her for graduation portraits in the dress before the party. My husband built a balloon arch in her favorite colors, and we made sure to get pictures of her under the arch with every guest. We had her favorite foods, without worrying about whether it made for any kind of "balanced"  or "normal" menu. The soundtrack was Broadway showtunes. We put up display boards with photos and mementos from her homeschooling efforts and her various performing arts activities. Once we had achieved critical mass for number of guests, we did a little "ceremony" on the stage at the front of the room during which she wore a mortar board and I said some stuff about our homeschooling journey and then her dad and I presented her with her diploma. She declined to make a speech, but did sing one of her then-favorite songs ("Good Morning, Baltimore" from Hairspray, which seemed somehow appropriate). 

 

For my son, we rented the dance studio where he studied and student taught. Although some parents did stay (and were welcome), the guest list really focused on his friends. We did more of an informal, open house thing, with a buffet of snacks that kind of evolved from brunch to lunch. We had a bunch of different board and card games set out on tables around the space, and folks were encouraged to hang out, play games and socialize. Because the guests included lots of kids from choir and dance and theatre, there were episodes of spontaneous dancing and singing and a couple of tap dance duels. My son had no interest in any kind of formal "ceremony" or graduation portraits and refused to humor me by so much as momentarily slapping a mortar board on his head so I could snap a picture. So we compromised on having him wear a t-shirt with a picture of a mortar board on it with his jeans. Since we weren't going to do a presentation, we did a display table with his diploma and a picture book I created on Shutterfly that we encouraged everyone to sign (like a yearbook). 

 

Honestly, in some ways, I think his final dance recital felt more like his "real graduation" than the party. The owner/director of the studio gave a little speech about each of that year's graduates, and all of the parents had reserved front-row seats and some of those other trappings. He was also recognized during the final choir performance of the year, but the dance school was so much his second home in those last few years that it felt more landmark-ish to me.

 

So, the short answer is "we had parties," but they were very different experiences.

 

Nowadays, on the bookshelf in my office/craft room, I have one very official "graduation" frame with the tassel from my daughter's mortar board on one side and her black-and-white graduation photo on the other. Also on the shelf, I have a double frame I painted bright red (to match the mortar board on my son's t-shirt) with a candid photo of him wearing the shirt during the party on one side and a picture of him posing on a lamppost when his choir traveled to NYC to sing at Carnegie Hall that same summer.

Edited March 5, 2018 by Jenny in Florida

[Melissa in Australia]

we didn't celebrate finishing homeschooling, but did celebrate finishing tertiary studies.

[AFwife Claire]

For our both of oldest 2 sons who have graduated, we had ice cream parties on a Saturday afternoon.  I got 3 gallon tubs on chocolate and vanilla ice cream from this weird frozen food co-op I'm a part of, and also tons of different toppings.  

 

We had the party as an open house, but on the evite, we did say that at the very beginning of the time specified, we would have a short ceremony.  Basically, I said a few words about our homeschooling journey and the plans of that DS, I handed him a diploma we printed off the internet, and then DH prayed.  Then we opened up the ice cream bar.  Friends came and went, played games, etc.  I made a display board for each boy with pictures from childhood to graduation, and I also made a memory book off Snapfish for everyone to sign.  It was lots of fun, cheap, and very low-key.  No one had any interest in a big formal ceremony, especially with other homeschoolers, but they did appreciate being able to see a lot of their friends from various activities one more time before heading off to college.

 

Funny note:  my oldest son knew I had put out a basket for people to put cards in, but he geniunely thought they would just be cards.  He was astounded when he found a check in the first one!  And the second one too!  And the third!  I have no idea where he was when we went to graduation parties for friends, or if he just completely paid no attention to anything other than signing the card before, but still--it was really funny.  I guess he was definitely not entitled, because he would have been happy with just cards.  Instead, he was so incredulously thrilled, lol.

[Greta]

Thank you all so much for the replies!  The big parties sound like so much fun.  But with most of our family being unable to attend, and with her being an introvert with only a few (but very close) friends, I'm not sure that would work for us.  I should have thought to mention that in the OP.  

 

But she did think of something that might be better suited to a small group, and to her game-loving personality:  an escape room (followed by dinner).  I think she would really enjoy that.  And we are planning a trip to DC because it's been a lifelong dream of hers to see the Smithsonian (she loves museums, is planning on a career as a museum curator).  But that will just be the three of us, so I was hoping to do something that could include her friends and my parents, at a minimum.  (So, maybe she and her friends would do the escape room, and then the parents and grandparents could join the group for dinner?  Something like that.)

[Greta]

 

Funny note:  my oldest son knew I had put out a basket for people to put cards in, but he geniunely thought they would just be cards.  He was astounded when he found a check in the first one!  And the second one too!  And the third!  I have no idea where he was when we went to graduation parties for friends, or if he just completely paid no attention to anything other than signing the card before, but still--it was really funny.  I guess he was definitely not entitled, because he would have been happy with just cards.  Instead, he was so incredulously thrilled, lol.

 

That is so sweet!   :001_smile:

[amy g.]

We took them out for a nice meal at a restaurant. We do the same for college graduation.

[Lori D.]

Each DS participated in the big homeschool group graduation ceremony.

The next day, we had a low-key relatives/friends open house for special people of their choice to come congratulate them and wish them well, snack on food and chat.

And a few days later we went on a 5-day family vacation and did several of the Southern California theme parks as the "senior trip" requested by each DS. :)

 

It was as much for the DSs as for ME, because of all the work *I* put into homeschooling, too. ;)

Edited March 5, 2018 by Lori D.

[Bambam]

We had an open house/party for my oldest. We put a few pictures of her and her friends from her life on one wall in the foyer. We had a variety of snack food (petit fours (because cake is messy, each one had an individual letter so they spelled out Congratulations!), fruit, cheese, savory rollups, punch, etc). People came and people went. It was all she wanted.

 

Youngest child is already planning hers. I don't think she wants a party, but she does want a graduation trip. She thinks Greece. We shall see. She will probably get a full-ride scholarship, so we may do that. 

Edited March 6, 2018 by Bambam

[SparklyUnicorn]

I have a special gift in mind, but otherwise I have no party plans or anything like that.  We have nearly no family for one thing.

 

 

[elegantlion]

Ds didn't want a party, so we did a small "ceremony" dinner at my parents. My dad was sick, so we didn't even go out. Ds didn't care. I gave a moving speech, presented him with his diploma, a passport cover and application (we were so broke I had to give him an IOW on the passport itself) and a tshirt from the college he would be attending in the fall. 

 

It was perfect for us because for so long it had just been us and my parents, it seemed fitting to celebrate only with them. 

[rjand6more]

Open Houses are a thing around here. So, we did that for DS.  He had a graduation ceremony an hour away.(He didn't want to do this, but I pushed. :o He later said he was happy he did it.)

 

DD is only 10th grade.  She only has a couple friends.  Her volunteer experiences are an hour away.  Not sure we would have a very big party... I thought about a short trip instead.

[gardenmom5]

we didn't do much for high school graduations.  

 

we did take them out to VERY nice restaurants to have a celebratory dinner during and after college.   

 

I teased 2dd that I would have bought her a new viola as a gift for her grad school graduation - but she wanted to get married and have a wedding reception.  (she graduated a month after she got married.)

[lllll]

nm

Edited March 11, 2018 by _______

[Momto6inIN]

DS didn't want to do anything at first ;)

 

But I insisted that *I* needed to see him with a cap and gown and diploma, so he said he'd do the local homeschool group graduation ceremony (about 10-12 grads). Simple cake and punch after that.

 

And when he found out that open houses (which are an unchanging tradition around here) come with guests bearing cards with money in them, he decided that was ok too lol We are going in with the other public school grads from our church and doing an open house at the fellowship hall of our church. A simple table for each grad with a display of whatever they feel they want to display (pictures, artwork, college stuff, whatever) and a simple meal.

 

Now that it's getting closer he's what I would call semi-interested and excited about the whole thing [emoji4]

 

Sent from my Z988 using Tapatalk

[FriedClams]

We'll probably do an open house for church friends (no family nearby). And we'll probably go on a trip as a family.

[J-rap]

When I graduated, my parents took me out to dinner at a nice restaurant, and I thought that was really special.

 

When our first ds graduated, we were going to go on a little trip.  Nothing fancy -- just go somewhere fun for the weekend.

 

That was when we discovered our small town's tradition of open houses.  (We're not from the town ourselves, so never paid much attention to this until we had a child that age.)  Everyone has open houses for their kids.  They were generally really casual -- people opened their garages or set up tents in their front yard, put up some card tables, etc.  You provide some kind of finger food, and keep it open for 2-4 hours.  Then families go from house to house all weekend long, staying just 15-30 minutes at each house, plotting their route ahead of time because houses are "open" on different days and during different hours all weekend.  (We actually held ours in the coffee shop where our children worked, because then we didn't have to clean house.  :))

 

We really, really didn't want to do that!  haha  Our ds didn't want to either, but in the end we felt like we'd be shunning the town if we just took off for the weekend instead.  So, we did it.  It ended up being pretty fun.  (Generally guests would put a few dollars in a basket at each home too, which was really nice.)

 

Public schoolers and homeschoolers alike did this.

[goldberry]

We did a big party (DD is crazily extroverted), family came from out of town, and she had a ton of people there.  We also took a family trip before she left for college.

[saraha]

So, for those of you who didn't have a party, did you do something for yourself?

 

Neither my grads nor my husband want to have a party, but it all feels so....anticlimatic, you know? We homeschooled and persevered through some very difficult circumstances and I am relieved they made it!  And part of me wants to hear the congratulations etc., because I am making it all about me :tongue_smilie:

[DawnM]

My oldest wanted nothing.  I cried.  It was such a let down.  But he has Asperger's and I really should have just let it go.

Second graduates this year.  He wants no party, but we will do a nice dinner and he will pick out a laptop for college.

[theelfqueen]

As of right now, my middle son wants to rent out a pavillion at the park where we hike and do school stuff almost every week (We joke that it's our third campus -- home, co-op, Palmer Park) so he can invite everyone, eat Barbecue and NOT wear a cap and gown ;)

 

[kewb]

We threw a small party for ds and are they one for dd this May. Immediate family and whatever friends the graduate wants to invite.

Dh makes a nice diploma that we present at the party. Along with the Crayola diploma that I make (long-standing homeschooling joke from one of ds's public school friends)

 

This is my last year, too. So bittersweet.

[Murphy101]

I hand them their records: diploma, transcripts, birth certificates and more in a big envelop.

 

I say congrats and we go enjoy 4th of July.

 

I usually get a big margarita of joyous relief.

 

Then I go home, go to bed, and wake up to prod, drag and love the next kid to the same point of exit from home academics.

[Rosika]

So, for those of you who didn't have a party, did you do something for yourself?

 

Neither my grads nor my husband want to have a party, but it all feels so....anticlimatic, you know? We homeschooled and persevered through some very difficult circumstances and I am relieved they made it!  And part of me wants to hear the congratulations etc., because I am making it all about me :tongue_smilie:

 

:lol: I understand this completely!

 

I think I'd throw myself a "one more promotion towards retirement" party - even if it's just a party with just me, a margarita, chips and salsa, and bad mariachi music playing at the local dive. I might even go so far as to allow my graduate to treat me, whether or not he attended! LOL